


One of Nothing

by Bj_Freeplay



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Oh boy here we go!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 16:55:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11902074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bj_Freeplay/pseuds/Bj_Freeplay
Summary: He couldn't let it go... it was like a story just out of reach for a bad author; so much hinged on that one part of life... it was impossible to explain. Haunting while awake or in a nightmare, there was no escaping. Sometimes he wondered if it would've been better to just forget.(Freedom at five was impossible! Of course Outlook found him after only 13 months out in the dump. Now he was fifteen and three years finally being free just couldn't be enough time to make the scarring go away... How could he possibly explain it to anyone?)





	One of Nothing

**Author's Note:**

> This will get edited again I SWEAR, just... fornow, enjoy this draft.

> _~~~~The_ beach was always perfect in the fall. Waves would be just cool enough to not be freezing and your knees wouldn't knock while you stood in the water to enjoy the cooling breeze. If Sabo had to pick the moments of his life that were the best, it'd be those. Simple, alone, and with the air just cold enough that the beach was all his for the ending hour.
> 
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> The sky was a dying scarlet as twilight set in. No stars were out just yet, but the air was still dark enough that the pearly buildings to the twelve-year old's back were too dark to ruin the otherwise perfect view. The buildings always felt too tall and bright for Sabo's liking, their billowing hight reminded Sabo of the people far too much.
> 
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> It was interesting seeing the sun sink under the waves and change the white walls into beautiful oranges, reds, and purples. The shadows would grow more prominent and fill in the gaps that had always seemed to be missing during the day. Darkness was more fitting for Goa than white had ever been. That default sparkle died in the dark.
> 
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> Sabo sat down in the cold sandbar and watched the stars start to form in the water. He sighed and traced his finger against the clear liquid. He wasn't drawing anything, why would he? What was there to draw here that was to keep anyway? It was just relaxing to feel the dull thrum of sea-foam crash against his small chest. Sometimes he'd count how many waves he'd hit, but after that got boring or he lost count it just felt point less to try again.
> 
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> So he'd just sit, and sit, and watch as the colors in the sky started to fade away into complete darkness.
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> "Brother!"
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> Sabo closed his eyes tightly but didn't turn around until the sound of water hitting skin clashed behind him. He spun around and faced the child with an empty stare, "Stelly?..."
> 
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> The kid might have been nine but his toothy grin seemed older, "Why am I here right? Father dear has been throwing a tantrum about you for almost an hour! We both know how irrational he gets when he's mad, plus I don't feel like losing privileges because of you again, it's tedious."
> 
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> Sabo stood. The black silhouettes leering over the expanse of sand sunk further down, trying to sink into Sabo's skin like it already had on Stelly. Sabo almost took a step further into the water, away from the child.
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> _I don't want to touch that stuff..._
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> "Oh don't be like that brother!" Stelly looked mildly amused, "What are you? Afraid of the dark?"
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> Sabo turned around to look at the last peek of the setting sun. Stars were dotting the sleek black sky freely, dancing firmly in the air against the growing wind. He looked down to the inky dark water and felt it flow past him. Deep in his heart Sabo felt no desire to respond to the jibe.
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> Stelly had his arms crossed, but was only a black form in the dark with tall _tall_ buildings guarding his minuscule back... it would only be a few years before those pointy shoulders broadened. Sabo almost felt small in its massive presence.
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> Shaking his head the older blonde wadded forward. Stelly fell into his step, jogging slightly to keep up. Looking straight forward Sabo could tell the kid was looking forward to his growth spurt.
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> They walked in relative silence until escaping the ocean's grib on their ankles and entering the sands cool embrace. Of course, it had been Stelly to begin the empty rambling that filled the night air... he hadn't ever been one to sit and obsorb the silence. There wasn't much to listen to so Sabo blocked the boy out until the kid brought up a sore topic he hadn't expected to deal with only a month after the cotastraphee's casts came off.
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> "- wonderful! Now I know I pushed you out of that balcony last time we were there, but the opera is next Tuesday and mother is dead set of going. It still hasn't been confirmed if you've been ban from the theator or not so I volunteered you to go with her! I know that you hate it there, but-"
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> "Stelly." Sabo growled.
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> "What?! It's been months since it happened and you were the one to sneak into the back to talk to those pesants! It was only justice that you got what was coming to you, same goes for *eck* them. Father had agreed whole heartedly that after what you did you deserved to watch them-" It was as if Sabo's eyes had pierced Stelly with venom as the kid choked on his words and look away quickly. He didn't keep speaking, nor did he apologize, he just clamped his lips and looked forward stubbornly. His cheeks were burned however and it looked like he was going to have a tantrum.
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> They didn't speak again until reaching the mansion's great gates.
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> Ignoring the encompossing white steal gate installed only as a cage, Sabo asked, "What if I am ban?"
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> Stelly looked up from the pavement in surprise, "Oh? What- well! Well.. father has a meeting that day so I guess you'll be home alone."
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> Sabo looked down at Stelly and nodded slightly, "All we can do is hope."
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> "You want to go?!"
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> "That I'm ban."
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> "... Hah."
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> The door opened before either could get their hands on the doorknob.
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> "And where the HELL have you been?!" A Large brooding hand crashes into Sabo's wrinkled shirt and dragged him into the house.
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> "I- No where!" He staggered and barely managed to keep his footing as Sabo was dragged through a large cherry wood door.
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> "I let you off early from your evening classes today with specific instruction to act like an upstanding noble and instead you sneak into the central city and have a stupid dine and dash which OBVIOUSLY LED YOU TO THAT EXCLUSIVE BEACH YOU AREN'T ALLOWED IN!" Outlook gasped and turned his scarlet cheeks down on his son.
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> "Yeah, I know, I was there!" Sabo tried to twist out of the hard grip, but stopped when the slap crashed his cheek against his shoulder.
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> "How hard is it for you to act like who you are?!"
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> "... I AM who I 'ARE' that's why I'm ME!" Crap... he hadn't meant to say that.
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> The French doors to the debonairishly fashioned office shuttered violently as it rammed closed. Outlook thrashed his oldest into the only none cutioned chair in the room and forced Sabo to dance from leg to leg to not topple over. Looking almost feral, his father lapped the desk and sank into his silk embroidered cushions. Sabo began to chew on his lip nevously, waiting for the wuiet to crack. Lowing his head and, looking directly into the defiant boy's eyes, Outlook growled, "You've lived here for twelve years-"
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> "Eleven!.... I-" he stuttered, "I got away once."
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> The angry frown morphed to a boiling scowl and Sabo bit his cheeks, "Ten years of training, one of consequence, and yet you still test my patience like you did when you were a child."
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> Sabo didn't look away from his father's vicious eyes.
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> "I have full authority to take your moments of freedom away! Do not insult me like you have any control!"
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> "But I-"
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> "You cannot skip around with out a care in the world! You are here for your mother and I!"
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> "That isn't fair-"
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> "You've known this for years!"
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> "It wasn't that drastic-"
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> "SOMEONE SAW YOU! IDIOT! THAT PUTS THE WHOLE FAMILY AT RISK!"
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> Sabo glared up in frustation, "It was one hour! ONE! I can pay the host back tomorrow if you're so miffed about it! I'm SO sorry for having fun on my first day off in weeks!"
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> "Kiss next month's break good-bye if you do this again boy. No man of my blood will run around like one of those hooligans from outside the walls." Outlook reached across the desk and clawed at Sabo's shoulder, "your losing all this month's allowance and transport aid. I do so much for you, next time THINK about your benefits before pretending to be so immaculately inconsequential. You're name is more important than you can imagine! Have some consideration towards your mother and I. All we want is to live our lives CORRECTLY! I will NOT allow your repugnant hobbies to taint our good name!"
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> Pushing abruptly against the desk Sabo jumped to his feet and snarled, "YEAH! Image! IMAGE! IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE NAME! You know I'm your SON right?! I am NOT some MEANS TO AN END! You can't-"
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> "CAN'T WHAT?! WHAT CAN'T I DO?!" Outlook clenched his desk.
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> The roar of frustration spoke better than words as Sabo kicked the chair leg with all his might. It went flying across the room and crashed against the rosary China set. He threw his arms in the air, "What the hell did I do to deserve being locked in here for two months?! Maybe I'd be easier if you gave me more time off!"
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> "You are my heir you over-confident brat! It doesn't matter how hopeless or how useless you are because I NEED you! You will never get time off as long as I know I can't take my eyes off you!"
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> "Then give my rights to Stelly! He'd be thrilled!"
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> "People would talk! We've been over this!"
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> "People already talk!"
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> "And who's fault is that you fool?!"
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> "WHAT IF I JUST WANT TO BE FREE?!"
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> "You are a NOBLE! The first highborn son of a wealthy business empire! All this family needs is to marry into royalty and then we'll ALL be free! Don't be so selfish!"
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> Sabo looked at the man incredulously, "That's just going deeper into the cave!"
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> "Why you-"
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> "It's true!"
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> "GET OUT!"
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> Sabo stumbled over his words for a second before saying, "You can't just take over my life!"
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> A vase thundered past the child's curls and-
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> CRASH!
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> Sabo jumped backward and felt the shards of glass bounce off his skin. Outlook stood and walked over to his son bitterly. He yanked the kid's arm and dragged him out of the office and into the hall way with his cane pointed down the towards the stairs, "If you don't get into your room RIGHT NOW or I'm going to make some bad choices boy!"
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> "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"
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> "ROOM!"
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> "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" One of the butlers seemed to appear just as Sabo began to advance towards the entry hall to make a break for the door. He was a strong burly man behind that black suit and easily snatched the pale boy out of his run to pull him down the hall. He ignored the feeble attempts at escape as if the preteen were an inconvenient fly and not a boy who'd miss several nights of sleep just to practice a punch in the cellar. It didn't take long at all for the resistance to die, however, and the two climbed the stairwell with only half the legwork active.
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> It was just as the door clapped behind him in his dark, empty, over imactulate room that Sabo snapped. Before kicking the over elegantly carved chest in front of his bed, he tore off his shoes and flung them across the room into the corner. The pain was delightfully searing with any signs of stopping stalling into view when his foot eventually went numb.
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> Face planting into his bed Sabo listened in to Outlook's fury out in the hall. Alberta was fighting her husband about something... probably that concert Stelly was talking about. There was a crash and yelling and It was getting closer to his room.
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> "He needs to learn respect Alberta! I am his father not some babysitter. The more he pretends to hate living here the more that spoiled brat won't give us what we need!"
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> "I'm not disagreeing with you dear, but we both know such light consequences have no effects on that boy! The last time this happened we didn't find him for two weeks. You can't keep pretending this is working!"
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> It sounded like some of the wall crumbled against the fist that had obviously hit it, "What would you have me do?! Moving him back to the attic or cellar could have one of the maids or butlers talking around like last time! It's too risky woman and we both know it."
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> "I refuse to miss another gala just because Sabo doesn't want to grow up. We've only got five more years with him before ends need to be tightened and cut. It's a bow by the end or a noose. Figure it out Outlook." The distinct click of heels that used to haunt Dabo's dreams echoed lightly as she walked down the hallway and away from the twelve-year old's door.
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> "SO NOW HE'S JUST MY PROBLEM!"
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> "This is your legacy. I just want a nice summer home a level higher than where we are now. My wish isn't that hard right?"
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> Sabo pushed himself up and looked at the door in disgust when the knob clicked locked from the outside. He turned and looked at his barred window before sighing and pulling off his wet clothing. He stopped pulling out his pajamas when he looked into the full body mirror resting against the wall. Small patches of blood was scattered across his body and oozed down his snow skin. They were tiny; already beginning to dry into hard crust.
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> "Do what ever I tell you BOY... or I'll toss you back in that dingy old cellar." Sabo muttered silently to his reflection as he took off his hat and pulled down his goggles, "Yeah, because that'll make me stop dreaming."
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> He stood taller and pulled up his trousers before heading back to his bed. He lied there stiffly; itching at the nick on his cheek carelessly.


End file.
